COVELENT: XenoTrait

Felix Ainst stood at the front of the room, eyes bright with a kind of intensity that bordered on obsession. Behind him, the presentation board was filled with diagrams, equations, and branching structures that twisted like veins across the surface.

"My name is Felix Ainst," he said, voice steady. "And I’ve dedicated my life to pushing the boundaries of human potential. I’m not talking about better weapons or better tools... I’m talking about making humans better."

A voice cut through the room.

"Let me stop you right there, Mr. Felix."

Felix turned.

Jack Pumedow sat near the front, legs crossed, posture relaxed. Tall, red-haired, and wearing the kind of expression that made people second-guess themselves mid-sentence.

"You’re talking about making humans stronger, right?" Jack asked.

Felix nodded immediately. "Yes. That’s exactly it. And I’ve made significant progress with this serum."

He gestured toward the board.

"The serum takes genetic material from animals and integrates it into human blood. It alters the biological structure at a cellular level... rewriting how the body functions."

A pause.

"However," Felix continued, "it’s still unstable. The effects on a human subject are... unknown."

Jack leaned forward slightly. "Have you done human trials?"

Felix hesitated.

"No... not yet. We just need a volunteer. Once we have one, I can proceed immediately."

Silence stretched for half a second too long.

Jack’s expression darkened.

"Then find one," he said flatly. "You’ve got a week. No results, no funding."

He stood, already done with the conversation.

The door shut behind him with a quiet click.

The room emptied after that. Investors left in murmurs, disinterest replacing curiosity.

Felix stayed where he was.

Then his fist slammed into the board.

It toppled over, crashing onto the floor.

"My work... my life’s work..." he muttered, breathing uneven. "I made this. Not him... not anyone else."

The room echoed with his voice.

Then, softer.

A memory.

"Shhh... you’re okay. Don’t worry."

His mother’s voice.

Felix closed his eyes.

The anger drained out of him just as quickly as it came.

When he opened them again, the room felt smaller.

Quieter.

He turned and walked out.

"Ding."

The elevator doors opened, then closed behind him.

By the time he got home, the weight of it all had settled in.

Felix dropped onto the sofa, a cigar already between his fingers.

"Tsk... human trials."

Smoke curled into the air as he exhaled slowly.

"Who would willingly inject something like that...?" he muttered. "And yet... it has to work."

His eyes drifted.

"...especially if what the Cain Foundation found is real."

He crushed the cigar out and stood.

His body felt heavy.

Minutes later, he collapsed onto his bed and let the darkness take him.

Morning came too fast.

Sunlight hit his face. He groaned, dragged himself out of bed, and moved through his routine without thinking.

Food. Shower. Silence.

Just as he reached for the door, his phone buzzed.

Jack.

Felix answered. "He—"

"Where are you?!" Jack snapped. "You’re late."

Felix’s jaw tightened. "I’m on my way, sir."

The call ended.

He didn’t waste another second.

The elevator doors opened again with that same hollow chime.

Felix stepped out and moved quickly down the hallway.

When he entered his office, Jack was already there.

And he wasn’t alone.

"Ah, Felix," Jack said. "Good morning."

Beside him stood a man Felix had never seen before.

"This is Mr. Benovele Johnson," Jack continued. "He’s volunteered."

Felix blinked.

Then stepped forward and shook his hand. "Thank you."

Benovele smiled faintly.

The lab felt colder than usual.

Felix’s hands moved on instinct. Syringe. Sample. Glass tube.

Benovele sat on the bed, watching quietly as restraints were fastened around his wrists.

Felix turned toward the microscope—

"I don’t have all day," Jack cut in. "Do it now."

Felix paused.

Then nodded.

He retrieved the serum.

The needle hovered for just a second... then sank into Benovele’s arm.

At first there was nothing.

Then Benovele’s body jerked.

A sharp inhale, "Ah—!"

His back arched violently.

"Stop...stop...what’s happening?!"

His stomach began to swell at a very fast pace.

Felix froze, "No... no, that’s not right—"

"Doctor—!" Benovele screamed. "Help me—!"

The swelling worsened, skin stretching unnaturally as his voice broke into something raw and terrified.

"Please—!"

Felix didn’t move. He just stared, sweat ran down his face. "This isn’t supposed to..."

The body ruptured in an explosion of blood and guts.

Silence slammed into the room.

Felix staggered back and vomited onto the floor.

"What... what happened...?"

A shadow fell over him.

Jack.

"You’re fired."

Security dragged him out before he could even process it.

By the time Felix reached his car, his thoughts were spiraling.

"How did it fail...? Why did his body react like that...?"

His phone buzzed.

Jack.

He ignored it.

At home, the lab light flickered on.

A glass of alcohol in one hand.

A sample of Benovele’s blood in the other.

Felix stared at it.

"Something’s wrong..."

He leaned into the microscope.

Hours passed.

When he finally pulled back, his face had gone pale.

"...Cancer."

His voice barely came out.

"Stage 4... he was already a dying man."

He grabbed his phone and alled Jack again and again but nothing.

"Why aren’t you answering...?"

The next morning, Felix didn’t hesitate.

He stormed straight into Jack’s office.

"Sir! The serum failed because Benovele had cancer!"

Jack looked at him with a calm expression too calm.

"Felix," he said. "What are you doing here?"

Felix’s stomach dropped.

"You knew," he said. "You knew and still let it happen."

Jack’s expression didn’t change. Felix grint his teeth, " what for, to steal my idea....I didn’t know you were this greedy."

"Your idea?" he said quietly. "You worked for me." A pause. "Now you don’t."

A voice spoke from the side.

"C’mon, Jack. Give the man a break."

Felix turned.

A man with dark hair and mismatched eyes stepped forward.

"Takakura," he said. "Nice to meet you."

Felix stared for a second too long.

That name...

Jack cut in. "He was just leaving."

Felix clenched his fists. Then turned and walked out.

"Takakura..." he muttered. "Where have I heard that...?"

The elevator doors opened but he didn’t step in.

"...No." he uttered.

Felix turned and ran. He ran back to the lab.

The alarm’s triggered instantly.

He grabbed the serum and sprinted out.

Security was already moving.

Jack stood behind them, watching.

"You went through all that... for that?" Jack said. "Fine. Take it."

A small shrug.

"And don’t come back."

"Ding."

The doors closed.

Back home, the vial sat in his hand.

Felix stared at it for a long time.

Then drank some wine...And drank again.

"A volunteer..." he muttered. "Right."

He laughed under his breath.

"I got fired twice in one year... impressive."

His grip tightened.

"If he wasn’t sick... I’d still have everything."

Silence.

"...A healthy body." he mumered

He stood up and walked upstairs.

Stared out the window.

Then looked down at the syringe.

"...Guess that’s me."

"Haaaa" he sighed and pressed the syringe into his hand. The needle went in.

He waited, "Nothing huh..."

Minutes passed.

Felix let out a hollow laugh, "I’m a failure."

The words broke something.

He collapsed, sobbing.

"I’ve got nothing..."

His hands clenched. He lashed out, knocking things over, breaking whatever he could reach.

Eventually, he fell onto the bed.

"...You’re okay... you’re fine..."

His breathing slowed as his mind steadied and silence settled.

Then, "Ugh..." Felix groaned and pushed himself up.

Something felt... off.

He walked slowly across the room.

Stopped in front of the tank.

His pet turtle moved lazily inside.

Felix stared at it and his mouth watered, saliva slipped past his lips.

"...I’m hungry."

He wiped the saliva away.

But he didn’t look away from the tank for a bit of time

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